Trigger action for automatic firearms



I 'Dec. 21, 1948. w s H 2,457,001.

TRIGGER ACTION FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed Oct. ,4, 1945 INVENTOR M4 FfifD 1. JM/rH BY w 7/144 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21,1948

UN T -D" PATENT: OFFICE :TRTGGERACTIQN Fort Ao'ro A'rIc .rrREARMs Wilfred I. Smithfi'Chicopee Falls, Mass, assignor "to Savage Arms'CorporationyUtica, N. Y., a

. corporation of Delaware Application october 4, 1945, "seria1 3163620361 means that a separate pull of the trigger isrequired for each shot, the firing of whichserves to automatically reload and cock the arm., A typical example of such a semi automatic firearm to which inyimprovement may be applied, is.illustrated in the; patent to Browning;#659,,507;jgf October 9, 1900.

True principal object of the present atter.

is-tdprovide" simplified mechanism at low cost arranged in compact form which will be reliable in operation and will insure retention of the hammer in cocked position after each shot, irrespective of whether the trigger pull is relaxed. As will appear, an advantage over the construction shown in the patent referred to is that in my invention the automatic recocking of the hammer does not force the trigger forward, which would produce a disagreeable sting impact against the shooter's finger if kept pressed against the trigger.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partl in section of a trigger plate adapted for assembly in a gun of the class mentioned, and showing the trigger mechanism in cocked position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts atthe initial stage of the trigger pull just prior to the release of the hammer; and

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating in solid lines the position of the parts at the end of a trigger pull stroke, the released hammer being in firing position, the sear having been disconnected from the trigger, and in dotted line a subsequent position of the hammer returning to its cocked position and about to be reengaged by the sear.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the trigger plate I has the trigger 2 pivoted thereon at 3. A spring 4 mounted as shown tends to hold the trigger in its forward position of Fig. 1. A stop pin 5 fixed in a side wall 6 of the trigger plate I serves to limit the forward position of the trigger. :At the rear end of its pull stroke the trigger abuts the trigger guard I as shown in Fig. 3. An integral front upper part 8 of the trigger I carries in dependent hung position, a pawl 9 pivoted thereto at H) and having a spring I I normally 'urging the lower end of said pawl outwardly.

1 Claim. (Cl. 89-144) Y by the sear.

A sear I2 is pivoted at l3 on said trigg erplate I directly in front of and closely adjacent the] front part Bof said trigger. Abias spring 14 tends to hold said sear l2 at all times in hammer "Jengageable position as shown in Fig. 3, with its toeportion l5 stopped against trigger plate I. An upwardly extended hook arm It of the hammer is adapted for engagement with the sear notch or hook ll of the hammer IS in retaining the latter in its cocked position. The rear "side of the sear-is formed with a sear notch I9 adapted for engagement by the outwardly pressed pawl 9 in the manner hereafter described. The pawl 9 has space for a limited pivotal movement between the front end of part 8 and the rear end of said sear I2.

The hammer I8 as herein shown is of the rocking type pivoted at 20 on the trigger plate and having a suitable hammer spring such as at 2| for impelling it to its firing position when released It should be understood, however, that the particular type of hammer as Well as the automatic mechanism for recocking it upon firing, may assume any of the usual forms for combination with my improvement. Therefore, the term hammer as used in the specification and claim should be taken to mean any type of movable firing member customarily employed in firearms. Since the self-cocking mechanism therefore may be of the conventional type, I have merely indicated in the drawings by dot and dash lines at A a reciprocable element of such mechanism which will rock the hammer I8 back to cocked position after each shot is fired.

The operation of the trigger mechanism is as follows.

Assuming that the hammer is in cocked position as shown in Fig. 1; when the trigger is pulled, the first action of pawl 9 is to engage sear notch I9 as shown in Fig, 2 for driving said sear I2 to its hammer releasing position. This hammer release will occur during the first part of the trigger pull stroke. The continued or full stroke of the trigger will carry the pawl 9 off the lower shelf of notch l9 and into a position past said notch as'shown in Fig. 3. The lower shelf of notch I9 and the lower end of pawl 9 are shaped and positioned as shown so that this initial driving engagement and subsequent slip off disengagement will be insured during the full pull stroke of the trigger. The slip off disengagement will take place immediately after the hammer is released from the sear.

Furthermore, with the trigger pressed back as in Fig. 3, the recocking hammer movement for rerespectiveaof-whether or not the. trigger is kept.

pressed back. Obviously the trigger is not forced forward by the cocked reengagement of hammer:

and sear. After the trigger is once. pulled to fire a. shot it must be relaxed and allowed to move for.-..

ward before another shot can be fired. A hand cocking of the hammer with; the trigger; -in.-fQr

ward position is in no way' interfered withi-since' the pawl 9 is free to yield against its spring H under a clockwise camming action of sear l2. My: l

present improvement accomplishes these desired results by very simple mechanism as shown.

What I claim is: Tri er ,mechanism. for firearms comprising in combination;,,a longitudinally extending trigger plate having: aspring actuated. rocking hammer pivoted on the-forward end thereof a spring ac v tuated;sear pivoted thereon rearwardly ofrsaidhammer. and. aqspring actuated trigger, pivoted. thereon rearwardly of; said sear, said hammer being. provided-with. a, hammer notch, said sear comprising a vertically disposed hook. arm.' to enagesaid. hammer. .notch, a forwardly, extending;

arm.;fcr abutting said plate. as astopfor limiting forwalidrockingl-ofsaid seanand arearvvardly-ex tending-rarin with ;a .rear vertical ,face. havingiai 4 sear notch therein, said trigger having an upper horizontal extension projecting forwardly of' its pivot with a front Vertical face in juxtaposition to the rear vertical face of said sear, a pivoted trigger pawl vertically hung from the front end of said trigger extension in position between said faces, and a. pawl. spring pressing said pawl against theasear. notch face. of said sear, with the face of said trigger extension serving as a back stop for said pawl, said parts being so constructed and arranged that said trigger pawl will engage in andrdrive said sear notch on the first part of a trigger pull movement and will slide out of said sean notch in ethelatter part of a trigger pull m.0.vem ent, andzat' all; times said pawl will be confined be'tweensaid; sear rear face and the front face ofsaidtrigger extension.

WILFRED I. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED,

The following; references. are of record. in; the-- file. of this patent FOREIGN" PATENTS Date a 

